Ricky Gervais hasn't decided if he'd host the Oscars if offered the job.

When asked by BBC News if he'd accept, he said, "Probably not, or maybe I would, but I'd be scared that it would be arbitrary. I don't think I'd get the freedom I needed . . . . If it was a fun night and they said you could ad-lib, I'd do it because I really enjoy that."

But Gervais has not been offered the job.

"It is true, but the Oscars people are just compiling a list of folk. I could be millionth on the list," he said. "I did hear there was a rumor going around and my agent actually got a couple of calls about it, so he checked it out. Apparently I'm on a list, but I'm not sure what list exactly. I hope it's not a sex offenders' register."

Photo: Paramount